Automatic brake control for trains



V. S. AND 8.. A. BURTON.

AUTOMATIC BRAKE CONTROL FOR TRAINS.

ION FILED MAR 27 919 1 1 1,388, 141. Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

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AUTOMATIC BRAKE CONTROL FOR TRAINS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR\27, 1919.

1,388,141 PatentedAug. '16, 1921.

v 2 sums-sum 2. n.r-|Ar1nr| r|nn-\nr3n & I CF 7 v 5 G7 Egg/B UNITED srarcs rar sat EHi g- 1 ,vERNE s. BURTON, or arnennuna. oNTAaI cANAnA, Am) srarr'oan .A. nua'ron, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN. i v p AUTOMATIC BRAKE CONTROLFOR TRAINS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pattentgd Aug, 16,-, 1921 Application; filed March 27, 1919. Serial No. 285,5 11.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, VERNE S. BURTON, a British subject, residing at Bridgeburg, county of Welland, Ontario, Canada, and STAFFORD A. BURTON, a British subject, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, and useful Improvement in' Automatic Brake Controls for Trains, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification. Our invention relates to an automatic vbrake control for trains, shown in the accompanying drawings and more particularly described in the following specification and claim. v

One object of this invention is to provide simple and inexpensive means, in combination with the usual automatic block signal, whereby upon the signal being set 'at danger, the brakes will be automatically operated to stop the train, should the engineer fail to see the signal-or through failure to pull a switch,-provided in the cab that he may proceed into the .block'.ahead whennecessary, withcaution. Thus if the engineer were asleep or dead-or if he failed to see the signal, the train would be stopped independent of anyone upon the engine thereby preventing a wreck which might otherwise occur. I

The control may'also be employed to stop a train for an order board if the engine men shouldfail to see it set at danger.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes may be made in the precise embodiment herein disclosed, without departing from the spirit of thesame.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective viewshowing a section of track, an automatic block signal mast, and a fragment of the auxiliary rails connected with an electric switch operated by the movement of the rod controlling the signal arm.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cr0ss-sectiona1 View have invented a certain new.

- one of the track through the case housing the mast signal mechanism, showing the installation of the switch,the closing of which serves to bring into the circuit the auxiliary rails shown in Fig.1.

F ig. Sis a plan view-partly diagrammatic-of a section of the track, showing the auxiliary rails, the signal mast, and the electric connections between the auxiliary rails and main conduit lines. I

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a locomotive with the cab in section ;indicating diagrammatically the brake valve, the cut-out valve in the train-line for running double headers, the magnetically controlled air train-line valve and the electrical connection with the auxiliary rails.

Fig. ,5-is' a cross-sectional detail through rails; the auxiliary rails,-.- showing: the relative height .of the latter and the electrical contact members which bear thereon. g p

. Fig' 6 is a diagrammatic detail view of the magnetically controlledair valve connected with the train line.

Fig. 7 is a detail of a electric switch, whereby the engineer may open the circuit that he may proceed with caution into an occupied block when necessary. V j I Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the electrical connection between the auxiliary rails; the main conduit line, and the switch in the signal box,-. also.the electrical connections between the auxiliary rails and the magnetically controlled air relief valve and switch for opening said circuit shown in Fig. 7'.

spring actuated Referring now to the letters of reference placed upon the'drawings:-

I A, A, denotes theirails of railroad block system having the usual electric connection not shown) with the semaphore signal -C, C, indicates a pair of auxiliary rails,

therefrom,which co-acts with the member F, (secured to the wall of the case D, but insulated therefrom) in opening and closing an electric circuit between the" main conduit line G, G, and the auxiliary rails C, C.

F indicates a spring adapted to act upon,

the member F. to insure a good electrical contact with the member F, (see Fig. 2).

In the engine cab (see Fig. 4) is an air relief valve P, and H, is a pipe connection with the usual train line of the air brake mechanism (not shown).

1,; is the engineers brake valve, and J, is the usual cut-out cock under the brake valve employed when double heading. K, denotes'a "casting bolted to the engine frame and: insulated therefrom in which are supported spring actuated contact shoes L, L, adaptje'dto bear upon the auxiliary rails C, C. K, is a projectingstop lug formed on the casting K, to limit the movement of the contact shoes L, L, in one direction.

P, is a rocking arm adapted to actuate the .air relief valve P, controlled by a pair of magnets M, M, in circuit with the contact shoes L, L, bearing upon the' rail-s C, C. N, is a spring actuated switch in said circuit (see Figs. 7 and 8) which is held normally closed but whereby'the engineer may open the circuit in order that he may procee'd with caution into :an occupied block, as will be hereafter explained. Having now indicated the several parts by reference letters, the construction and operation of our invention *will be'readily understood.

For the purpose of this description, it will be assumed that the semaphore signal has beenset to indicate danger ahead,- therefore the auxiliary rails C, C, are electrically charged from the line wires G, G, due to closing the switch, comprising the member-F, (actuated by'the vertical movement of the rod E, controlling the signal arm) and the coacting stationary member F, secured to the wall of the case D, on the semaphore mast.

The engine having reached that portion of the track adjacent to the rauxiliary rails C, C,the contacting shoes L, L, will ride up the taperingendsof the rails and close the circuit between the rails and the magnets M, M, thereby charging the latter and causing the'rocking: arm P, to tilt,-opening the relief valve P, that the 'air m'ay escape from the train line to set the brakes, as

when under the direct controlof the engineer. Y

The engineer having noted the signal indicatingdanger ahead, he may if necessary, proceed with caution into the block ahead by holding open the spring actuated switch N,-thereby breaking the circuit between the rails C, C, and the magnetically controlled relief valve P,until the locomotive has passed the end of said rails. The magnets M, M, having been demagnetized, due to the shoes L, L, being carried beyond the rails C, C, the levercontrolling the relief valve is manually returned to its normal position by the engineer,-thereby closing the valve.

Theauxiliary rails C, C, are relatively higher than the track rails in order that the contact shoes L, L, need not project downwardly to a point where they might be injured throughcontact with turn outs or other railroad crossings. They are tapered at theirends in order that the contact shoes L, L, may easily ride upon them.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is A railway-electric block signal including a postpa swinging semaphore armpa casing mounted on the post, a vertically movable rod in the casing which can be connected with the semaphore arm, a motor located within the casing at the bottom thereof, a vertical train of gears connected at the lower end with the motor and extending upwardly therefrom, a rocker arm connected with the train'of gears at the upper end thereof and also connected with the vertically movable rod for raising-and lowering the same and anele'ctric switch operatedby the vertically movable rod and composed of a contact member located within the casing at one side ofthe' rod, an insulating'member mounted on the interior of the casing and supporting the said contact member, a yieldable brush carried by the rod and having a free terminal portion movable over the insulating member onto and off of the contact member and a spring carried by the rod and bearing against the brush intermediate of tlie'ends thereof "for urging the same toward the insulating member and the contact member.

in testimony whereof, we sign this speciiication in the presence of two witnesses.

VERNE S. BURTON. 'STAFFGRD A. BURTON.

'lVitnesses:

S. E. Tno ms, FRANK A. MARTIN. 

